Things to Do and See in Mallorca

There are so many wonderful attractions in Mallorca that there is sure to be something for everyone to see. Palma, the capital of Mallorca is stunning. Palma comes as a surprise to many people - it is stylish, sophisticated, and intimate yet bursting with life. Palma's masterpiece is its magnificent 14th Century Gothic cathedral, poised high on the sea wall overlooking the magnificent harbour. Close to here is the old Arab quarter with its maze of narrow streets hiding museums, palaces and exquisite courtyards. Experiencing old Palma is a delight but there is also a wonderful modern side to this fascinating city, you will begin to appreciate the variety of this cosmopolitan city.

You have not truly seen Palma until you have surveyed it from the waterfront, with the cathedral and Almudaina Palace rising proudly above the defensive walls of the old city, their golden sandstone lit up by the afternoon sun.

The Caves of Drach (Dragon Caves) are believed to have inspired Jules Verne's novel ‘A Journey to the Centre of the Earth’. They are without question a masterpiece of nature with fantastic rock and limestone formations. You journey through more than a mile of mysterious caverns in this underground expedition, where rock formations reach down from the ceilings of the cave and grow up from the floors.
A walk through the caves ends at the fantastic Lago de Martel, one of the largest underground lakes in the world. A novelty of this trip is a classical music concert provided by musicians floating across the lake in boats. A backdrop of beautiful lights creates the perfect atmosphere for enjoying a lakeside concert.

Valldemossa is a stunning mountain town forever linked with the names of Frederic Chopin and his lover Georges Sand. They stayed in the beautiful monastery which can still be visited where all the cells for the monks are in a row, each with its own exit to the garden terrace with blossoming magnolias and a wonderful view over the valley. Their stay was described in her book ‘A Winter in Majorca’ in which she describes some magical moments, "in Majorca, I was able to contemplate the ocean such as I have dreamed it to be, as crystal-clear and as blue as the sky ... every step brought us a new vista more enchanting than the one before."

Sport also plays an important role in leisure on the island, especially water sports, riding and golf with over 23 golf courses on the island. A wide range of cultural activities take place throughout the year, including concerts, exhibitions, theatre productions, and of course there are a large number of museums, galleries and libraries. The nightlife in Mallorca also offers some enticing alternatives; perhaps a film, a dance, a game in the casino or drinks in a fashionable bar.

To experience the many unique tastes and dishes in Mallorca is a must. Mallorcan cuisine, based on pork, fish and vegetables with generous use of garlic and olive oil, is hearty peasant fare steeped in tradition and rooted in local ingredients. Not long ago every village would celebrate the matanca, the winter slaughter of pigs, with songs and dancing and the making of hams and sausages for the coming year many of which can still be sampled. No bar would be complete without its jamon serrano, a whole cured ham displayed on an attractive slicing-board.

A side effect of the matanca was frit mallorqui, a fry-up of the most perishable offal with potatoes, onions and tomatoes. Nowadays you find it on menus alongside tumbet, a Mallorcan-style ratatouille of aubergines, potatoes and peppers in olive oil, and sopes mallorquines, a thick broth of thinly-sliced brown bread and vegetables. Other classic dishes include llom amb col (pork wrapped in cabbage with pine nuts and raisins) and lechona asada (roast suckling pig).

Paella is not a Mallorcan dish but it is widely available; paella ciega (blind man's paella) comes without bones. The local equivalent is arros brat ('dirty rice'), saffron rice cooked with chicken, pork and vegetables.

Fish is mostly imported and frozen - restaurants have to state this - but lobster, prawns, sardines and sea bass are all excellent. The latter, baked in rock salt, is a Mallorcan speciality.

An interesting alternative for dessert of the typical crème caramel is gato de almendras, almond cake served with toasted almond ice-cream. Mallorcans are very proud of ensaimadas, fluffy, spiral-shaped pastries dusted with sugar and filled with anything from pumpkin jam to sobrasada sausage; the secret ingredient is said to be the lard in the pastry.
Menorca takes pleasure in an extensive list of restaurants, ranging from the most traditional to the most modern of styles, in terms of both furnishings and cookery. There are also a large variety of bars, cafeterias and ice-cream parlours where we can drink a coffee or beer, eat a sandwich or ‘tapa’, and for dessert a traditional ice-cream.